Our Future
by MoonRiseAtDusk
Summary: Mayonaka, Arashi is a woman of many secrets. Being the mother of fraternal twins, she makes it her duty to protect them at all costs. After creating a new life for herself and her children, she and her children suddenly find themselves on the run from a man Arashi wants nothing to do with. (Takes place after Shippuden and totally an AU story)
1. Author's Note

_**PLEASE READ!**_

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 **Author's Note**

Firstly, _thank_ _you_ for reading this story!

I want to say that this story takes place in the future of Shippuden, twelve years to be exactly. This is completely AU and more than likely will conflict with the main series pairings, but with the new series after Shippuden just starting I'm just going to stick with my own thing…

This story is **Rated T** for the minor language and strong themes for _now_. As the story goes on, it may be **Rated M**. If the rating changes in the future, than prepare yourselves! BWUAHAHAHAHA! (That's my evil laughter by the way. Isn't it so awesome?)

 _ **Lastly**_ this story is told in third person and revolves in P.O.V in each chapter, or just about in each chapter. The first chapter is told in Arashi's P.O.V, the second in Naomi's P.O.V and the third in Shiori's P.O.V, but sometimes I might stick with one of their P.O.V's for an extra chapter or two or I may skip the order around. I'm not putting whose P.O.V you're following at each chapter, but I'm making it pretty obvious whose P.O.V it is that I felt I didn't need it. Besides, I kind of finding "_ P.O.V" off putting.

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 **Disclaimer**

 _ **Naruto**_ is the creation of Masashi Kishimoto. The characters and original plot belong solely to him. However I own _Mayonaka Arashi_ , _Mayonaka Shiori_ , _Mayonaka Naomi_ and many other OC's that will make an appearance.


	2. Chapter One

| _ **Our Future**_ |

X–x–X–x–X

 **Chapter One**

X–x–X–x–X

The sky slowly began to be prepare for an afternoon storm, the once white puffy clouds flowing with the breeze where turning in a light gray color. The leaves on the tree began to rustle and the blades of grass whipped violently on the quickening pace of the breeze. It was an unfortunate normality for the island nation of the Land of Water.

The incredible heat was dying off quickly, but it would be short lived after the storm would pass. It where times like these, with the heat and unpredictable nature of storms that threatened to turn nastier than they already could be, that Arashi missed her home.

Arashi was once a kunoichi, a Jōnin for Konahagakure whose life was tragically cut short. She may not have died, but to all whom she once fought with they think she did. Even if they didn't think she died, Arashi still wouldn't have been able to continue her work as a ninja.

She was pregnant at sixteen, mother to fraternal twins and injured almost beyond repair – Arashi's life was cut to short. The scar from her injury still lingers, trailing from the bottom of her right rib and snaking its way over the top of her spine and finally resting underneath her left rib. Worse the injury was acquired at the very beginning of her pregnancy, making the healing process that much more painful.

The fifth Hokage had been the one to tell Arashi to leave, to flee away from Konahagakure and the life she once knew. In a way Arashi was thankful, the turmoil that had proceeded after her departure would've been death for both Arashi and her twins, but the hardship was still there. Her entire life was considered null and void; no one could know where she once came from or who she was.

As far as those who had lived in Kirigakure where concerned, Arashi is just a poor refugee who had fled to Kirigakure to escape the war. Her fiancé was a casualty of the war; the twins fatherless to a man whom had helped give them the world. Now Arashi just lives as a shopkeeper, selling various wears that holds nostalgic value to the people of Kirigakure to try and hope that her children inherit nothing from their mother or father.

As Arashi rounded a glass case, wiping of the smudges so that the obscure objects could be seen clearly, Arashi's thoughts led to her daughter and son.

Shiori was her black-haired daughter who was almost the spitting image of her father. Luckily for Arashi, Shiori inherited much from Arashi as she did from her father, having a dark tanned skin tone despite the constant cloud coverage. Unlike her father and twin brother, Shiori's had been lucky to be born with a set of beautifully dark blue eyes – the color of ocean on a full moon. She was loud and happy, intelligent and quick on her feet… she was everything Arashi could've hoped for and more, but Shiori didn't have Arashi's dark coal-gray colored hair. Instead, Shiori held the dark black color that more often than not held a dark blue sheen.

Naomi was Shiori's twin brother, a quiet boy who analyzed everyone, similar to how his father was. He was taller than Shiori's short stature by a few inches, but by no means was the 5'3" sized boy tall himself. Arashi was sure that Naomi would take after the Mayonaka Clan, one whose men where consistently short as children and grew in size to almost dwarf anyone. His hair was the same color as Shiori's hair color, a dark black that often held a dark blue sheen, his eyes where a shade darker than his own father's, a thick obsidian. His skin tone where a couple shades lighter than Shiori's tan skin, but still darker than Arashi's. Being in the cover of the forest and clouds for the majority of Arashi's life had rendered her skin turning pale, but Arashi remembered a time when her skin was darker than both of Shiori and Naomi's skin.

Both Naomi and Shiori where going through the Kirigakure Academy, learning to become shinobi in the less bloody era of their life. Peace ruled the Hidden Villages, but Arashi knew history had a nasty tendency to repeat itself and no village was willing to be caught off guard. It didn't help that hostility between Sunagakure and Kirigakure may soon erupt with the trades between the two villages becoming slower.

Not to mention that several traders had complained that their wears where being taken by ninja striking a resemblance to those looked as if they fought in the war that was ended almost twelve years ago. It was now just becoming only a matter of time before war broke out, and it didn't help that it was more than likely that Konahagakure would jump to help Sunagakure.

Gaara is the Kazekage, the leader of Sunagakure. He was once Jinchūriki, a host to the One-Tailed beast known as Shukaku. Uzumaki, Naruto was the current Hokage of Konahagakure, close friends to Gaara. Like Gaara, Naruto is a Jinchūriki. _Unlike_ Gaara, Naruto remains the host to the Nine-Tailed beast known as Kurama.

Although there have been rumors that Naruto can call upon the powers of every tailed beast that has ever live, Arashi couldn't confirm or deny if it were true. She hadn't seen Naruto since she was sixteen, although Arashi could honestly believe he could harness the power and become the ultimate shinobi.

However if that were true it would cause another great war. Kumogakure would even likely jump to help Sunagakure, their greatest hero having been a Jinchūriki. The only allies that Kirigakure had would be Iwagakure and several lesser nations that would bow to the whims of every other nation. Kirigakure would be demolished if war happened.

With a loud sigh, Arashi's attention was turned to the glass door to her store. The bells that hung on the door jingled against the glass, and as if on cue both Shiori and Naomi walked within the store.

"Hey mom!" Shiori shouted with glee, earning a tired groan from Naomi. "Class was fantastic and Sensei said that we would be having our final test within a week! A _week_ mom! I finally get to be placed on a team!"

"So soon?" Arashi asked absentmindedly, a swell of pride growing in her chest.

"We're twelve," Naomi pointed out, "the legal age we can graduate."

"It still seems so young," Arashi answered, turning to finish wiping the table. "Can you two go and grab a rag and help wipe the counters? Besides, to think that you two are going to become shinobi is a bit heartbreaking. My babies are growing up."

Naomi said nothing while Shiori made a look of disgust, hating to be referred to as a _baby_ by her own mother. Both made their way to the back of the shop none the less, each grabbing a rag and a bottle of something to clean and wipe the glasses with.

 _At least I've raised my children right_ , Arashi thought with a gentle smile. _It's unfortunate that they didn't have a father, but they've adjusted well and weathered a great storm._

Arashi was actually impressed by the resilience that both of her children carried. She explained to them at a young age that their father had died during the war, a white lie that she told anyone to write off why she was pregnant and alone. Both of her children idolized the idea that their father had sacrificed himself to give them a chance at life, and like many children in Kirigakure they weren't alone. Several children where fatherless or motherless, a good handful of them orphans. If Arashi had to guess, they never where bothered by the idea much because they weren't alone in the idea.

Although Arashi knew that there were times Shiori and Naomi wondered about their father, about whom he was or what he looked like. It pained Arashi to have to lie to her children, unable to produce even a small picture of he even looked like.

Naomi was the type of boy to never let his emotions show, but Arashi could tell from the tiny glances or twitching of his muscles that Naomi felt disappointed. Shiori was the type of girl to never bottle her feelings in, and Arashi knew she was going to be one hell of a kunoichi because of it. This also meant that Arashi knew, every time, that Shiori felt disappointed, and that pained smile and understanding tugged at Arashi's heart.

But Arashi couldn't think about that, her children were going to graduate soon! If they were lucky to inherit the Kyomu, both would make excellent interrogators… though on second thought, Arashi didn't know if that was truly a good thing or not.

When Shiori and Naomi reappeared, Shiori began talking about her academy life. She talked about her best friend Nanami and how she was going to become a big sister, yet again. She even talked about a girl named Ren, much to Naomi's displeasure, and how she had professed her undying love to him and that Naomi coldly turned her down.

 _Like father like son_ , Arashi couldn't help but think.

" _Oh, oh!_ " Shiori hurriedly shouted, a large grin breaking out. "Naomi wasn't the _only_ one to get asked out. A boy named Takahiro had asked a girl named Yuuka out, _right_. Well Yuuka is that pretty blonde-haired girl who keeps to herself, _really_ shy and barely says two words when I greet her in the mornings – because she _will_ become my friend! – well, anyway, Takahiro brought poor Yuuka to tears! _Tears_ mom! Poor Yuuka was so overwhelmed that she ended up running away into the girls' bathroom. Not even Atsuko-Sensei could coax her out. Takahiro had been so embarrassed by the entire ordeal because he didn't think Yuuka was _really_ that shy."

"He wasn't embarrassed," Naomi corrected Shiori. "I overheard Daisuke and Hayate dare Takahiro to ask her out. He was red because he was laughing so hard."

"What?" Shiori gasped loudly. "I didn't hear him laugh!"

"You ran after Yuuka before he started," Naomi answered.

"Why didn't you tell Yuuka what was going to happen, then!" Shiori yelled angrily. "Or me for that matter, or even Atsuko-Sensei!"

"Because it wasn't _our_ business," Naomi pointed out a little harshly. "Aside from that, how is Yuuka going to function in the real world if everything is embarrassing or stressful to her? The life of a shinobi is nothing _but_ stress, and if our father is a testament to anything it can even call for an ultimate sacrifice for the ones we love. Yuuka isn't prepared for that life."

"Naomi!" Arashi gasped. "It isn't your place whether or not someone is cut out for the life of a shinobi. The fact that Yuuka is _there_ means that she's stronger than what you think. I knew someone who sounds just like Yuuka, too shy for her own good and seemed like she couldn't even harm a fly. She ended up saving my life twice."

Both Naomi and Shiori looked at Arashi curiously.

"You where a kunoichi?" Shiori asked in amazement.

 _Son of a shit_ , Arashi thought harshly. _Trying to teach Naomi a lesson and I inadvertently ended up telling them something I shouldn't have._

"I wasn't," Arashi answered carefully. "However I did go to an Academy just like you two are. We didn't share the same class, but your father and she did. On my way to visit your father during lunch time, us being childhood friends and all, I would pass her by one more than one occasion. If it weren't for her, Naomi, you _both_ wouldn't be here."

"What was her name?" Naomi asked.

 _Hinata_ , Arashi answered automatically in her head. _But I can't tell them that._

"Her name was Honoka," Arashi settled. _Although I wish I would've answered with a name farther than Hinata, but it'll do_.

"Was she pretty?" Shiori asked.

" _Beautiful_ in fact," Arashi answered with a small smile. "I was actually a little bit envious of her when I was your age. I was stuck with my coal colored hair and constantly teased because of it. One time she complimented me, though. She wished that she could look like me, and I wished I could look like her."

"Really?" Naomi asked.

 _No_ , Arashi answered honestly in her head. _Not at all._

"Really," Arashi confirmed. "You two are lucky to look more like your father."

"I wish I had your light blue eyes, though," Shiori answered. "They're like the sky on a clear day."

" _Your_ eyes are like the ocean on a full moon," Arashi pointed out, "a beauty in their own right."

Shiori grinned.

"I _do_ like my eye color," she answered, "I just wish there was a way that my eyes could change shades of blue each day. It's boring to look the same way every day."

"You'd freak out if you woke up blonde," Naomi pointed out.

"I _do_ love my hair color," Shiori answered. "Some days it even almost looks a dark blue… you know, blue _is_ my favorite color."

Soon Naomi and Shiori talked about the color blue, or more precisely about how they _looked_. Arashi never said that that Naomi was quiet, only that he analyzed everyone… though sometimes Arashi was amazed by the otherwise random conversations that he could be drawn into, though by no one's fault other than Shiori.

Soon both Naomi and Shiori had quieted down, and a comfortable silence fell over the three of them.

X–x–X–x–X

Arashi decided to close shop an hour earlier than usual. The slow day turned stagnant and Arashi didn't see any use staying at the shop any longer, and both Shiori and Naomi where glad to be heading home earlier than usual.

They lived in a small, two-room apartment in the middle of Kirigakure. The people in the streets where scrambling to make it to their homes, not wanting to get caught up in the downpour that was threatening the fall from the blackened sky above. Thunder rolled off in the distance and the smell of the ocean was strong.

Naomi and Shiori weren't fazed, though. Panic didn't suit Naomi, and to be quite Arashi didn't think Shiori could panic about anything. Hurt, _yes_ , but not panic. Sometimes Arashi couldn't help but think that Shiori was a strange child

Soon their apartment was in sight, and after climbing the first flight of stairs, Arashi was greeted to a note attached to the door addressed to her.

 _Strange_ , Arashi thought to herself, _I paid the landlady and all of the bills I owe. Perhaps it's a formal notice about the twins' impending graduation… perhaps this is how mother and father knew about my graduation before I even told them._

Arashi shrugged it off, opening the door and waiting a few seconds as Shiori and Naomi ran into the apartment. A loud clap of thunder boomed across the sky and a few drops of sprinkles began fall. The rain was starting.

"You two go start your homework that I _know_ you have, Shiori," Arashi looked over to her daughter while she locked the door shut behind her children. "I'm going to start dinner."

Both Naomi and Shiori gave an okay, bounding off to their separated rooms. Arashi usually slept on the futon in their living room, unwilling to force the twins to share a room. Perhaps if they were identical or either male or female Arashi could have them share a room, but Arashi didn't have the heart. Naomi and Shiori where too different, and soon they would both be leaving her.

A sad feeling washed over Arashi, and it dawned on her how they would soon be leaving. They'd both join a squad, perhaps even be on the same team because of the strategic advantage of twins being on the same team. One day they'd have their first multi-day mission, and soon be sent on weeklong missions or month long missions and then leave Arashi to her lonesome.

Arashi would one day be all alone yet again.

Arashi shook her head, taking the thoughts out of her head. They wouldn't be leaving her for awhile, and she _knew_ Shiori would always come back to visit. Naomi would to, though Arashi still couldn't help but think that he would be on missions of higher importance than Shiori.

Though Arashi has been surprised before.

Walking into the kitchen, Arashi threw the note on the counter. She didn't _really_ have to read it, Naomi and Shiori where going to graduate, but sending a glance towards the unidentified note Arashi had a feeling it wasn't about Naomi or Shiori anymore.

Arashi tore the envelope open and pulled open a short note, staring at the two words.

 _ **Found you**_.

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 _ **NAOMI'S NAME!**_

直己

 _直_ ( _ **nao**_ ) translates into "honest, straight" while _己_ _(_ **mi** ) translates into "self" which is usually masculine. Therefore Naomi is a unisex name. The more you know!

 _ **Author's Note**_ :

After I got Naomi's name out of the way, because I _know_ people will be asking, I welcome you to the end. Who are Naomi and Shiori's father? What was Arashi's life truly once like? Why was she told to leave Konahagakure? _Who_ found Arashi?

Why would I answer these now when you can go on and read about them in the chapters to come? Don't forget to leave a review and enjoy the stories!


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

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Mayonaka, Naomi was by no means _stupid_. Despite having a loud, boisterous fraternal twin sister who seemed to be the embodiment of _stupidity_ (which she wasn't), Naomi was almost the opposite.

Quiet, studious and responsible where all words he's heard people describe him as. He was all those things, Naomi knew, but was never going to be as good as his sister. Naomi didn't take risks, and on no uncertainty did he jump to conclusions without solid evidence that _screams_ that his un-jumped conclusion could've been or _is_ right.

Shiori got to the point, quick on her feet and not afraid to fiercely defend her friends or family. Compare his black-haired, blue-eyed sister to him and it was almost night and day their differences. Shiori was going to go far, make many mistakes _yes_ , but go far.

Naomi was perfectly content tending to the shop with his mother, just laying low. He was born during a time of war, his early childhood being surrounded by a village that was trying to rebuild itself. Both he and Shiori had no father, and unfortunately that wasn't uncommon with his classmates. Many had lost their mother or father, and an unfortunate handful had been orphaned at such a young age.

Why would Naomi ever risk the possibility of not seeing his children grow up? Why spoil _their_ childhood because he wanted to run off and become a hero, a legend whose name is only inscribed on a stone that they would more than likely not see. It wasn't worth it in Naomi's eyes, and it was for that reason alone he held distaste for a man whom he had never met.

Taking a deep breath, Naomi's hands intertwined as he felt chakra surge through his body. He could feel himself mentally split into two, his power forcefully pushing itself out of his body as a burst of wind gushed around him.

" _Clone Jutsu!_ "

He heard a soft _pop_ sound, his dark obsidian colored eyes being shrouded in white smoke before it quickly dissipated. He was greeted with two identical replicas of himself. They both held the stoic expression that he always wore in school, their eyes narrowed and hardened from the world.

They only ever changed when Shiori was with him, tugging him into a conversation and bringing out emotions that he quite honestly wanted to hide. He liked things being a certain way, and to say that it didn't _annoy_ him when Shiori and his mother could pull him into a state of ignorance would be an insult to himself.

Though, to be truthful _annoyed_ was an understatement.

Naomi released his clones, suddenly disgusted and annoyed by their presence before looking at the door to his room. His homework was technically complete; all he had to do was practice one of the three different jutsu – _Clone Jutsu_ , _Transformation Jutsu_ and _Mist Hallucination Jutsu_ , a new requirement that allowed the user to trick their opponent to think they're seeing one thing and not _the user_ in dense fog, mist or rain.

Useful when you're playing in home field or if the conditions were right, bad if you where anywhere where there was low to no humidity.

Naomi let out a long sigh, tired by the world around him. He didn't want to become a shinobi; he didn't _want_ the responsibility that his father held on his shoulder. Shiori wanted to become a kunoichi more than anything, and Naomi felt obligated to make sure that Shiori wouldn't one day kill herself on the line of duty… but Shiori was proving to be a force to be reckoned with.

Naomi may have had good test scores, good Ninjutsu when he tried, but his heart was never in it.

But Naomi couldn't face the disappointment his mother would feel if he quit the academy. His mother had such high hopes for Naomi, and he _knew_ she believed that he would be better in the shinobi world than Shiori.

Why didn't anyone have as much faith in Shiori as Naomi did?

 _We_ are _twins_ , Naomi reasoned in his head. _I'm probably just biased, but if I were biased wouldn't I be saying that_ I _was the better shinobi? No, no I wouldn't be. I'd be narcissistic, and_ that _is dangerous_.

"Shiori, Naomi!" Naomi closed his eyes as he heard his mother call for himself and his twins. "Come here for a second."

"Coming!" Shiori squeaked out from the room next to his, her excitingly bumbling down the hallway.

Naomi opened his eyes and quietly made his way out of his room. His mother had done much for both him and Shiori, sacrificed her figurative life and put them both first in her life.

"I'm here," Naomi saw Shiori scoot up against their mother.

Their mother was sitting at the table, dinner not even have been started. Shiori wasn't fazed, not caring that their mother just seemed… _off_.

"Come and join us, Naomi!" Shiori beckoned him.

 _Because this doesn't sound creepy at all_ , Naomi thought to himself. Naomi took a seat in a chair, Shiori sitting in between both him and their mother.

"So what do you want, mom?" Shiori asked with a smile.

"It isn't what I want, but what we're going to do," their mother answered slowly. "We're leaving Kirigakure, and before you complain I _know_ you don't want to leave. You'll be graduating next week but, but we _really_ cannot stay."

" _What!_ Why?" Both Shiori and Naomi shouted.

Arashi gave a weak smile, annoying Naomi. He could feel anger and bitterness rise, but he _knew_ he had to hear his mother out. His mother had done so much for both him and Shiori; the least he could do was _try_ to listen to her.

"I cannot tell you an exact reason," their mother answered honestly, "but I can tell you that we need to leave. It isn't too late that shops are closed so I'll run out and get us food that can last us for a weeklong trip. We're heading to Kumogakure and I cannot run for a week strait…"

Naomi could've sworn he heard his mother mumble more under her breath, but it didn't matter. His mother was uprooting both him and Shiori from their entire _life_ , and at a glance he could tell Shiori was more than devastated.

They were both mad, upset and beyond disappointed.

Arashi sighed, looking at both of them. "Look, I _know_ you're upset. Just know I do what is best for all of us. I love you and I beg that you _please_ don't fight me on this. When we get to Kumogakure I will explain all of this better and give you a reason, but I have to go and get food as well as our saved money and a few extra items we may need. I will be back tonight, just go pack."

Arashi had given a final look to Shiori and Naomi before leaving. She had left their apartment quickly, grabbing a stash of money in their kitchen before she had left. Shiori had begun to weep, her emotions high and Naomi could feel the tears threaten to fall himself.

"She can't do this!" Shiori yelled, "She can't just take us from our lives! We've worked so hard to get to this point, we were going to graduate!"

"I _know_ ," Naomi responded harshly. "You were going to become a proud kunoichi for Kirigakure. What we _should_ be doing is questioning why mom wants us gone in the first place!"

"Do you think someone is trying to kill her?" Shiori asked hastily. "What if someone is trying to kill _us_? Maybe something is going to happen and mom knows!"

"Mother would've hinted about this _long_ ago if any of the above where true," Naomi told Shiori. "Mother isn't stupid, if someone where trying to kill her or us mother wouldn't respond by running away. If something where going to happen, I doubt mother would've kept it from us."

"The key word being _unlikely_ ," Shiori told Naomi worriedly. "Something is going to happen, I can _feel_ it."

Naomi's stomach dropped at the sudden realization that _perhaps_ something was going to happen. An earth shattering, major catastrophe of some sort. It still didn't make much since why their mother would suddenly leave, though. A week long storm with winds that tore down many houses and floods that destroyed lesser villages had raged through the Land of Water four years ago and mother didn't bat an eye.

If something _were_ going on, it had to be huge. _Huge_ being a major understatement if their mother wasn't breathing a word of it to them.

"I'm going to go and start packing," Shiori announced. "It'll be a long trip to Kumogakure. I'm not happy about leaving Kirigakure, or even the Land of Water itself, but mother hasn't steered us wrong yet."

Naomi watched Shiori get up from the table, pushing her chair in as she left to her own room. Naomi let out a long sigh, an odd feeling whirling in his stomach. It had joined and overtaken the small bit of anger he felt during his mother's announcement to the new conclusion that he didn't want to jump to.

Something _was_ happening, he just didn't know what.

X–x–X–x–X

 **Author's Note**

You know, I've got this burning curiosity to know what people think of my story. I only really waited so long to post this chapter because I was all like ' _no one likes my story_ ' (in a totally whiny voice, I mind you) but then I was like… ' _Sure, people may not like your story but can't you complete_ something _for once?_ '

Then I noticed I had three chapters already written and my motivation started up again.

I don't know how many of you are reading this, I don't know how many of you actually _like_ this, but if you're reading this I hope you enjoy this story. You may not review (I hope you do, the visual representation encourages me) but know that by you just reading this is very appreciative. I mean, I've gotta be doing something right, right? (or I'm just as bad as Twilight and everyone is reading this to make fun of it… imagine a fanfiction making fun of a bad fanfiction, that amuses me for some reason)


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

X–x–X–x–X

Mayonaka, Shiori was _not_ an airheaded person. If anything, Shiori enjoyed more often than not jumping strait into action, going with the flow and thinking on her feet. In terms of rationality, many would say that Shiori lacked the necessary requirements of a leader – one who knew when to hold their cards or one who knew when to throw them – but Shiori wasn't stupid.

Shiori was just… _expressive_.

As Shiori stood in her room, glancing outside her window as the rain began to pour she could feel the wetness of her tears flow down her cheeks. Every emotion that Shiori was feeling – anger, sadness, fear, hopelessness – was manifesting itself in the form of tears.

 _Why the hell does mother have to wait to_ tell us _why we have to leave?_ Shiori sobbed, her thoughts echoing in the silence of her room. She could hear Naomi's chair scrape against the floor twice, once for him to get up and once for the chair to be put back, as the subtle footsteps fell into his own room. _Are we just untrustworthy? Are we, the soon-to-be-shinobi, unworthy of such knowledge?_

It was painful to think that their mother didn't trust them, but her thoughts struck an idea.

 _Why_ is _mother relocating us?_ Shiori thought silently. _She hadn't gone through the training to become a shinobi like Naomi and I. Civilians are always sloppy in hiding evidence._

As quickly as they had appeared, the tears that Shiori had been shedding stopped almost immediately. A flutter of hope had been sparked, and the idea of answers to a burning question she was _sure_ Naomi had been asking himself.

Shiori sprinted out of her room, her cheeks dampened and eyes red as she dashed for the kitchen. Her mother was going to prepare for dinner, and then she stopped. If there was going to be _any_ evidence, the kitchen was the best place to start.

True to her instincts, the second Shiori rounded the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room/dining room section, an opened envelope sat on the counter.

" _ **Mayonaka, Arashi**_ " had been labeled on the front of the envelope. It had been the same one she _vaguely_ remembered her mother plucking off of the door as she and Naomi where just coming up the stairs. Her mother had been standing in front of the door at the angle, and Shiori had only seen the edges, but she didn't think it had been _important_.

 _But it was important_ , Shiori thought determinedly. _Perhaps mother had gotten a note that threatened her to leave, and instead of alarming me or Naomi she is just leaving. If this where the case, though, she could've just gone to the police!_

Shiori grabbed the envelope, quickly opening it to see if her mother stuffed the note (one that she was sure her mother received) into the envelope before leaving to get the extra money out of the shop her mother owned. Unfortunately for Shiori, there was no such luck.

 _I have at least thirty minutes before mother returns, perhaps even forty-five with the weather getting nastier. I'll show Naomi what I've found and we can spend a good portion of our time searching before we have to pack, or if we find something we can confront our mother and possibly avoid having to leave all together._

Hope and determination flared within Shiori. Excitement, or perhaps it was anticipation, caused her muscles to shake involuntarily as she sprinted back down the hall, towards Naomi's room.

"Naomi!" Shiori pounded on his closed room. "Naomi, I found something!"

Naomi swung his door opened wide, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"I thought you were _packing_ ," he spoke plainly.

"Well, I _was_ going to, but then I started to remember our lessons from Astuko-Sensei. Civilians are _always_ sloppy," Shiori smiled widely. "Our mother is a careful woman, but she isn't trained with a shinobi mindset! So, I found _this_."

Shiori suddenly started waiving the empty envelope in Naomi's face. The strangely written kanji of their mother's name was just a blur before Naomi grabbed it.

"It's empty."

"Yes, but I found it in the _kitchen_."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Naomi asked with his brow raised slightly.

"Mother was in the kitchen about to prepare an early _dinner_ when she suddenly called us," Shiori quickly explained to Naomi, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "When we were climbing up the stairs, I could've sworn I saw mother pluck something off of the door earlier. I saw the corners of an envelope, but I thought nothing of it until _now_."

"Perhaps it held a bill or notice about our impending graduation," Naomi suggested.

Shiori's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly shook her head.

"It's the middle of the month, too late for mother to get a new bill and we would've been kicked out already if she were truly late," Shiori told him while thinking of the greedy landlady. "We also haven't _technically_ graduated; our finals are on the day before graduation."

"Perhaps it's an old envelope?" Naomi offered.

"Mother always told us that there is no such thing as coincidences in life, Naomi. Face it, this envelope is the _reason_ why mother is making us leave. Mark my words mother is being threatened."

Naomi let out a defeated sigh. "Did you at least find the note?"

"Nope," Shiori smiled. " _You_ get the honor of helping me look for it. I figured mother will take about forty-five minute's tops before she returns. She'll expect us to either have finished packing or be close to finish up. Help me find the note. It's bound to still be in the kitchen!"

Naomi stayed quiet for a few seconds, the determined face of his twin growing stronger by the second.

"Fine, I'll help you," he answered finally. "But if we can't find anything within ten minutes, we're going to continue packing. Atsuko-Sensei said that because civilians are not proficient in hiding _anything_ , the longest one should spend looking for information is ten minutes.

Shiori's smile widened even more than Naomi thought was possible.

"I _knew_ you'd help me!" Shiori exclaimed excitedly.

X–x–X–x–X

 **Author's Note**

This is the shortest chapter _yet_ , but to be honest I kind of wanted you (as the reader) to get to know each character a little bit. Y'know what I mean? Shiori and Naomi think they know everything, Arashi's twelve years out of the game is really showing (because if I haven't made it obvious, which I'm pretty sure I have, that Arashi _was_ a kunoichi but for undisclosed reasons had to stop… aside from getting pregnant at a young age and raising twins.)

Anyhow, I hope you forgive me for this short chapter (and not re-reading to fix grammatical mistakes because I just want to get this out!) and will enjoy the _next_ chapter. I'll go ahead and spoil it now. It's going to be in Arashi's point of view.

(and I said I was going to be all hush hush about whose point of view a chapter was on, too. _Oh well_.)


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